No Blue America live chat this week. We'll be back next week with Trevor Thomas, the progressive pro-Choice candidate running in MI-3. This week, though, we want to tell you about Blue America's new Independent Expenditures Committee. You can find it here and, unlike our other ActBlue pages, it isn't raising money for candidates. Instead it's raising money for actions-- like TV and radio ads and billboards and get out the vote efforts. First goal-- making sure voters in WI-1 know there's an actual alternative to Paul Ryan this year.

We started complaining that DC Democrats were giving Paul Ryan an easy pass even before Rahm Emanuel first took over the DCCC. The DCCC never-- and I mean never-- does anything to defeat Ryan in his own district. They talk smack about him everywhere in America-- same as they do with Boehner and Cantor-- but they never challenge any of these galoots in the one place where it really counts: back home. And even if you could say that Boehner's district and Catnor's district are two red to bother with-- McCain won Boehner's district with 60% and won in Cantor's with 53%-- you sure can't say that about Ryan's. A traditionally Democratic district, Obama beat McCain 51-48%. The only role the DCCC has played in WI-1 is to help a series of unelectable sad cases win the primaries against progressives-- and then disappear from the scene.

It didn't get any better when Chris Van Hollen took over the DCCC and, so far, it's about par for the course with Steve Israel's DCCC. The one change is that a viable, progressive candidate, Rob Zerban, actually got the nomination without a DCCC-backed primary opponent. There's ever a rumor that they may put him on their Red-to-Blue program. Unfortunately a wealthy Democratic donor told me that when she asked Israel if it was OK to throw a fundraiser for Rob, he immediately nixed the idea.

So far the DCCC has put up one pathetic, generic billboard-- the same one they're putting up in various places around the country. They put it where it will get no visibility-- and in a traditionally Democratic area-- and they neglected to even put Zerban's name on it-- since name ID at this point is the single most important factor for him in the race. And who's that guy? How lame are these people who waste tens of millions of dollars every year and lose to the even lamer Republicans?

Help us put up a billboard that means something and will be seen by people in the district. We have to show the DCCC how it's done. I wonder if they're realize why we put Zerban's name on the board-- and why we used a woman instead of a man. There is no winnable race more important than knocking off Wall Street and Insurance Industry darling Paul Ryan. And Zerban is the man who can do it. In fact, there's only one way to beat Paul Ryan-- and that's to elect Rob Zerban. We're lucky we have such a good candidate running and that the DCCC didn't slip in some corporate shill or anti-Choice Blue Dog. If the DCCC won't help, let's pitch in ourselves. And if you know anyone wealthy... there are no limits to the amount anyone can give. I mean even a million dollars is OK! On the other hand, there's no such thing as a contribution too small. So, one last time, here's the new Blue America I.E. Committee page.

Earlier this week Blue America made Congressman Tim Holden (PA-17) uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. And he's going to remain uncomfortable until his primary contest with progressive Matt Cartwright on April 24th.

Everywhere he turns he, and all of his potential constituents, will be seeing this:

It will pop up all over the district on freeways and thoroughfares and rural highways. All his neighbors and potential voters will know just how friendly old Tim is with the fracking industry.

Let's just say he isn't happy. According to Politics PA Holden's campaign issued a press release calling Blue America a "Super PAC" (which is just hilarious.)

Holden’s campaign blasted the Blue America PAC as an outside group trying to meddle in the 17th district, and noted that Holden is taking heat from interest groups on both sides of the aisle.

“Throughout his career, Tim Holden has legislated from the political center, which is where most of America and the 17th district find themselves,” said campaign manager Eric Nagy. “Now he is getting hit from the right by Texas oil baron billionaires with the Primary Accountability PAC and from the left by a Hollywood record company executive with Blue America PAC. It’s clear that no matter where your political ideology falls, you run the risk of offending one of these groups.”

Nagy took a swipe at Cartwright, too.

“What we have here is a case of the rich helping the rich – billionaires and millionaires coming to the rescue of fellow millionaire Matt Cartwright.”

The PAC’s press release highlighted this article from Republic Report, a watchdog website that features writings from former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Cartwright echoed their criticism of Holden.

“I am thrilled by Blue America’s endorsement. The people of Northeastern PA need to know Tim Holden’s record over the past 19 years that he is trying to hide,” he said. “It is not just the Halliburton loophole, but his vote against health care reform, his opposition to legislation that would have made it harder for banks to foreclose on struggling families at the height of the recession, and the fact that he voted with George W. Bush 60% of the time.”

Yes, there's another group coming at Holden from the right. Seems a Blue Dog just can't get a break these days.

There has been a flurry of press in Pennsylvania, from PoliticsPA to the Scranton Times-Tribune and The Pocono-Record, among others. Progressive blogs in the area such as NEPArtisan are all over it. Holden is clearly rattled.

And for Howie, it's now personal:

I don't write a lot about my days in the music business here at DWT but then I've never been attacked-- not even by a Republican-- for being in the music business before. Yesterday was the first time and it was in a press release from corrupt Blue Dog, Tim Holden. Reacting to the billboards Blue America put up revealing his shady role in the fracking industry he decided to ignore the substance and attack our PAC and my old job instead. Holden sent out a press release calling Blue America a SuperPAC-- our average contribution is $45-- and whining he's being attacked "from the left by a Hollywood record company executive with Blue America PAC."

I retired from my job at Warner Bros almost a decade ago and work full time running by blog, DownWithTyranny, exposing corrupt politicians on both sides of the aisle, like Holden. But, for Holden's sake, I'll give a brief run-down of my experience as "a Hollywood record company executive." I started a small, independent label called 415 in San Francisco in 1978, on of the country's first "alternative rock" labels. It was funny when I heard from Borys Krawczeniuk at the Scranton Times-Tribune yesterday morning. He asked me if I was the same Howie Klein he used to chat with about SVT and Romeo Void when he was music director at WRKC (88.5 fm) at King's College in Wilkes-Barre. What a hoot; we hadn't talked in 30 years!!! Funny how music brings people together!

A small indie label with absolutely no capital-- I lived in a $90/month apartment in the Mission District and often had to decide if I wanted to put $2 of gas in my car or eat a meal-- 415 thrived and eventually attracted the attention of the major labels. CBS bought the label and my life changed, although I keep my old Fairlane and stayed in my old Mission District apartment. But I could at least afford health care for the people working at 415. I ran the label for CBS for a few years and then went to work for Warner Bros, as general manager of Sire Records, where I helped guide the careers of the Ramones, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, k.d. lang, The Pretenders, The Smiths, Morrissey, Ice-T, Ministry, Tommy Page and dozens of other musicians who have probably had more of a positive impact on people's lives than a hack politician in Washington. And speaking of Tommy Page, he was just a teenager when Seymour Stein signed him to the label and we released the #1 worldwide smash hit "I'll Be Your Everything".

But the career of a teen idol doesn't usually last forever. When Tommy came to me and told me he had decided to go back to college and get a degree he asked me if I would give him a job at the label when he graduated. Four years later he was back and he started at the bottom of the ladder-- a promotion department assistant, where his hard work and dedication earned him promotion after promotion until he was an A& R man and then a senior vice president of promotion. Around that time I had bought an old house in gorgeous Monroe County in what is now the 17th CD. Many of my music business friends, hearing from me how beautiful the Poconos are, also bought homes there. One was Tommy and his growing family. Tommy still calls Stroudsburg home-- and now he's the publisher of Billboard Magazine.

Read on for the full screed. It's priceless.

We'd like to keep the pressure on Holden all the way through the primary. If you can help with a few bucks we'd really appreciate it. This is a newly drawn Democratic district --- no Republican can win it. So, it's a race between a progressive Democrat and a corrupt, conservative Democrat who half the district has never heard of. Holden's so desperate that he's bringing in Steny Hoyer to prop him up. And he's clearly nervous about Cartwright's excellent fundraising and support. These billboards are sending him over the edge.

Holden is a plodding Beta Blue Dog foot soldier who does whatever he's told by the people who run him. He's a super social conservative, anti-choice, anti-gay rights and a guy that Steny can always count on to vote on behalf of the 1%. He has no business representing working families. And he's beatable.

If you can help, please send a couple of bucks to our Fracking Holden campaign. Let's make him lose some sleep before he loses his seat.

You can also follow this campaign at Facebook.com/FrackersHeartHolden

So tomorrow for our Blue America Live Chat we're hosting Democratic Congressional challenger Lee Rogers of California, and this afternoon I came across this hilarious story about Lee that just makes me adore him:

When one of his aides suggested that U.S. Representative Howard "Buck" McKeon hold an auction for a charity offering a lunch for four as the prize, he probably didn't think there was any danger of the idea blowing up in his stupid face like it has. McKeon (R-Ca), the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is used to being in the news, but he'll be getting a lot more free publicity in the future.

Buck McKeon is a real piece of work. You might remember him grandstanding during the last session of Congress, threatening to hold up the last defense authorization bill because he was offended by the Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal. You see, McKeon's opposed to gays serving openly in our military, and was willing to risk funding for the entire enterprise to make his opinions known.

Well, ol' Buck has auctioned off a lunch for a lucky winner, along with three guests, and that winner turns out to be none other than McKeon's opponent in the coming election, one Dr. Lee Rogers. Rogers bid $300 for the lunch, and because his was the only bid, he wins! He's already announced who he'll invite to break bread with Rep. McKeon: three reporters.

Awesome! And you can live chat with Lee Rogers tomorrow at 2 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific, here at Crooks and Liars.

Open thread below...

Tuesday, Blue America will be officially endorsing Rob Zerban for Congress-- looks like I let the cat out of the bag-- and he'll be our special Valentine's Day live guest here at C&L (11am PT; 2pm ET).

When I spoke to him a few minutes ago I reminded him that to the Netroots and to progressive activists outside of the district, Paul Ryan is known to be one of the most extreme and dangerous members of the conservative movement. This view is shared by many in Wisconsin, of course, including in the First Congressional District, but there is a still a great deal of work to be done convincing undecided and independents. I wanted to know what Rob is doing to make sure voters in Janesville, Kenosha, Racine, the southern Milwaukee 'burbs and even Waukesha get that. He says "there are three main factors why people are energized about this race and fed up with Ryan-- Ryan's ideas, his behavior, and the movement in Wisconsin. My campaign is focusing on harnessing these opportunities, drawing clear contrasts, and delivering that message to voters." When I asked for details, they came out like a gusher:

The privatization of Medicare and Social Security is an awful idea. Let’s start there. That is something the vast majority of people understand in this district, and across the nation. Supporters of Paul Ryan’s plans have admitted it does not save money. These proposals open these programs to huge risk and cuts, and are clearly just a ploy to take money away from seniors and put it into the hands of Wall Street and private health insurance companies. (Of course, these are the same special interests funding Ryan’s political career).

Paul Ryan’s agenda is not just cuts and privatization, but also wasteful spending on big tax cuts for the wealthy. Everyone is furious that Mitt Romney is paying only 13.9 percent on his millions while many in the middle class are paying tax rates in the 30 percentile. I point out to people that Paul Ryan makes this possible. He has pushed for every tax cut for millionaires and billionaires possible including the Bush tax cuts, capital gains, carried interest, and many other loopholes. Ryan wants to protect these loopholes for Mitt Romney instead of funding our students, seniors, and economic recovery efforts.

Paul Ryan likes to sell himself as a big thinker similar to the way Newt Gingrich has done. I realized early on that his grandiose and self-promoting plans, including the Path to Prosperity, are little more than the reheated and repackaged extremism of past eras.

The second problem many Wisconsinites have with Ryan is his behavior. He is cavorting with the ultra-wealthy at every opportunity and only occasionally returns to the district. His “listening sessions” with constituents compromise of him delivering a PowerPoint presentation on topics including why students don’t need Pell Grants and why seniors programs should be privatized. He routinely kicks out anyone who disagrees with him. He behaves like people’s boss- not their representative. In my opinion, he acts like someone who does not feel he owes his district or his constituents any consideration. He is a man with a philosophy and everyone else can take his way or the highway. This makes people mad!

The third and final factor I think is playing a big role in why people are so energized is the movement in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the epicenter of the movement by the middle class to stand up for themselves and for their futures. The recall effort of the governor is an inspiring grassroots effort to get rid of someone who has stepped far outside of the lines to attack the middle class. The crushing and coordinated political attack on working families that happened in Wisconsin was outrageous. The attack was orchestrated by outside money networks and secret coalitions, including the Koch Brothers and ALEC, which allowed for radical legislation to be quickly rammed through Wisconsin state government. It was clear to everyone that our legislators and Governor were acting as puppets for outside interests and had little understanding what they were doing.

This all-out assault on the middle class woke a lot of people up. We saw great things in Madison. The Recall has also spread to my district and had a great impact. Formerly Republican-leaning areas of the district, including Waukesha County, had record participation in the recall.

In short, things have changed here in Wisconsin! People have woken up and blue collar retirees are remembering just how unacceptable the Republican agenda is. Seniors and students are realizing the deep cuts Ryan is ramming through will hurt them and will force many in the middle class to fall into poverty.

It doesn’t take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows! Paul Ryan has the wrong ideas for America and we just need to keep promoting the simple truth.

Good answer! Come meet Rob Tuesday, right here-- 11am PT, 2pm ET. And if you'd like to help his campaign before then... be our guest, over at the Blue America ActBlue page.

Elizabeth Warren live-chatting earlier today with Crooks and Liars. Blue America and C&L are very proud to be supporting her Senate race, and there's still time to contribute any amount to her day-long money bomb. Thanks for supporting a real progressive voice for US Senate!

Open Thread below....

On election night 2010, when progressives around the country were pummeled and defeated, one race kept us all up late, hoping against hope that we'd have a memorable victory among the defeats. As it turned out New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district candidate Ann McLane Kuster lost to Charlie Bass that night by only a few votes, but showed that even in a GOP tsunami she had what it took to compete as a progressive. So naturally she's challenging Bass to a rematch in 2012.

This time there's no doubt about what she's up against. Bass has turned out to be a very typical Republican by voting to end Medicare and then whining about semantics when Democratic groups called him on it. He's collecting money from all the usual suspects, notably energy and insurance companies who have business in front of the energy and commerce committee, along with practically every other lobbyist from tobacco to Walmart. It didn't take him long to put his hand out and start collecting the big bucks from the corporations and the 1 percent.

By contrast Annie has had over 11,000 individual donations, 90% of which are under a hundred dollars. (You can join the crowd, by donating to her campaign here.)

She's running a grassroots campaign with an army of progressives on the ground and around the country who are anxious to see a "frugal yankee" put these priorities to work for the people:

I believe we need to cut wasteful government spending -- like the billions in subsidies for oil companies, the corporate tax breaks for moving jobs overseas, and the billions more spent on redundant weapons systems that our military leaders have identified as wasteful and unneeded. But instead of these cuts, the US House of Representatives is cutting what we need most: education, public safety, and the clean energy research that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It makes no sense. America can do better than this -- so, it's time for all of us to do something about it.

From the beginning Annie has been a strong voice against the American empire, opposing the Iraq invasion, the Afghanistan surge and additional war funding over the past few years. In 2010 she was endorsed by NH Peace Action which said "It is Ms. Kuster's outspoken criticism of the war in Iraq and the surge in Afghanistan that brought us to this decision." She says that everywhere she goes in her district, people are tired of war and want to bring the troops home and spend the money to rebuild America --- just like many of you.

America can do better --- with the help of dedicated, energetic progressives in the House, fighting for the people instead of catering to the special interests. Blue America is very excited to once again endorse Ann McLane Kuster for the congressional seat in New Hampshire's second district and are pleased that she has accepted our invitation to join us for the first Blue America chat of the 2012 campaign.

Please join Annie and Howie, John and I for a freewheeling conversation about her campaign, the state of politics and her plans to help us all create a better country for the 99%.

And if you would like to help her with this grassroots endeavor, you can contribute to her campaign here.

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Elizabeth Warren just made it official-- or official enough for ActBlue to open up a contribution slot for her-- which means she filed with the FEC. So... we added her to the Blue America Senate page, a page with two candidates-- her and Bernie.

If we collect $2,000 for her over the weekend, one random lucky donor will win a gorgeous RIAA Lenny Kravitz platinum award for his Greatest Hits album (above).

Last Sunday I posted about the likelihood that she would run for the Massachusetts Senate seat currently occupied by Tea Party flip-flopper Scott Brown. It seemed all but certain. Disappointed and disallusioned progressives in at least one state will sure have a reason to flock to the polls in November of 2012! At the time she said "I spent years working against special interests and have the battle scars to show it-- and I have no intention of stopping now. It is time for me to think hard about what role I can play next to help rebuild a middle class that has been hacked at, chipped at, and pulled at for more than a generation-- and that that is under greater strain every day." Music to all of our ears. Let's encourage her-- and imagine her and Bernie Sanders working together for ordinary American families... in the U.S. Senate, that hideous, hidebound bastion of privilege and entitlement.

So, again, contribute any amount before midnight and if we reach $2,000 for her, one donor will be thanked by Blue America with the beautiful Lenny Kravitz triple platinum award.

It's Special Election Day in the West Los Angeles district of CA-36, replacing retired Representative Jane Harman. Angelenos have a chance to vote for a true progressive, Blue America-endorsed Debra Bowen.

Tuesday's special election in California's 36th District is a prequel to what will likely be the main event on July 12. If no candidate gets a majority of votes cast - highly unlikely in the crowded 16 person field - the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff in the first test of the state's new "jungle primary" system.

The Frontrunners: Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn jumped into the race almost immediately after now-former Rep. Jane Harman announced in February she'd step down to head the Woodrow Wilson Center. Hahn and Harman are close, and while Hahn doesn't have the former congresswoman's official endorsement, Harman did provide her with a heads-up she was leaving. Hahn comes from a well-known political family - her brother, James, served as the city's mayor from 2001 until 2005, and her father, Kenneth, was a county supervisor for forty years.

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen took a bit longer to officially decide, but since her entrance, the two women have been at the top of a very crowded pack in the all-party primary. Hahn quickly rolled out endorsement after endorsement of other Members of the state's Congressional delegation, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and even former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt. She's also garnered most of the labor endorsements in the race.

Bowen has worked to paint herself as the more progressive candidate in the race, particularly on environmental issues, and has been endorsed by Democracy for America, former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, and the Sierra Club.

Hahn is another BlueDog-cum-DINO, like Harman. Do we really need another one of those in the House? Debra Bowen (here's her Blue America page and the live chat she did with us in March) has been fantastic advocating for fair and transparent elections as Secretary of State and it would be incredible to get a clear and unapologetic liberal in office. This is our first "jungle primary" (I really hate that term), so it's critical that Bowen gets the turnout she needs to be in the final runoff election in July.

Please, if you are in the 36th District, do not forget to vote and support our candidate, Debra Bowen.

As you may or may not know, Howie, John and I are based in Los Angeles, and as progressives nothing has stuck in our craws more than the fact that that Jane Harman was able to hang onto her seat in California's 36th district (John's home district!) despite the fact that she was a Big Money Blue Dog who barely set foot in the area. When she announced her resignation from Congress we whooped for joy. Her retirement to the world of think tank advocacy has given us another opportunity to elect a real progressive to fill the seat.

Amazingly, we are blessed with two fine progressives who have thrown their hats into the ring: Marcy Winograd, who we endorsed in the two primaries she ran against Harman, and Debra Bowen the current Secretary of State who we also endorsed in her two statewide runs. It's an unusual and luxurious choice for progressives -- it so rarely happens that we have more than one great candidate.

We are fond of Winograd and greatly admired her willingness to take on the Democratic establishment as she did at last year's convention. That kind of pluck is in short supply. She is a stalwart progressive and a good friend and it was a privilege to support her in 2006 and 2010. However, after much deliberation we have decided to endorse Debra Bowen in this race. The reason is quite simple. We believe that all other things being equal, Bowen simply has the better chance to win.

Bowen is a hero to California progressives, and you may know of her through her national leadership on election integrity and internet issues as California Secretary of State. Indeed, she decided to run for the office after the debacle of 2000 for reasons I imagine many of us can relate to:

“I became motivated to get it right before we had another horrible disaster for our whole democracy,” said Bowen. “We couldn’t afford another election where there was vast mistrust of the results.”

She ended up winning the John F Kennedy Profile in Courage award for her work on election integrity.

With her high profile as a reformer and advocate for government transparency as Secretary of State, she has been a member in good standing of the Progressive Movement from the beginning, speaking at Netroots Nation and identifying herself with our cause. What you may not know is that previous to holding statewide office, she represented 90% of CA 36 for 14 years in the state Assembly and Senate and that she has a stellar progressive track record as a legislator as well. She is very popular in the district to this day among moderates and progressives alike, who see her as "their" statewide candidate. It's a big advantage and one that we think will propel her to victory over all the others in the race.

As a movement progressive, Bowen will naturally lend her strong voice to advocate for working families in congress and stand up for civil rights and civil liberties. Her record is clear on that. And with her reformer credentials, along with her dedication to green energy (her first foray into politics was working with Heal the Bay back in the 1980s) she is perfectly positioned to be a leader for us, for our time.

As a progressive netroots candidate, Bowen is naturally running a people powered campaign and we urge you to contribute to her cause. She will have a race on her hands with Winograd, LA Machine City Councilwoman Janice Hahn (Harman's hand-picked successor) and wealthy well connected Republican Mike Ross running and she'll needs our help. (Read Howie's post at Down With Tyranny for more on the machinations of the Hahn campaign.) We have a real chance to elect a movement progressive to this seat. Please donate if you can.

And now it's my pleasure to introduce you to Blue America candidate for congress from the 36th district, California Secretary of State Debra Bowen. Please give her a nice welcome:

I think most of us have come to realize that something has gone terribly wrong. The rampant cronyism, corporatism, demagoguery and sheer irrationality of our politics is almost impossible to wrap our minds around and I worry that we are losing our ability to see clearly. These are confusing, frustrating times with pressures from major social change and global transition bearing down and leaving us disoriented and off-kilter.

But all is not lost. The world has seen big changes before and this country has faced greater challenges. It does require, however, that we seek out and support new political leadership. The system is no longer functioning on behalf of the people and it's going to take smart, creative, energetic people with fresh ideas and a different perspective to turn it around.

We at Blue America believe that Nicholas Ruiz III is one of those leaders. Howie introduced him to his readers like this:

Over the course of the next few months, Blue America plans to help you get to know another courageous, fighting progressive from central Florida, Nicholas Ruiz III. A young father and university professor, Nicholas ran for Congress on the Green Party platform in 2010 and has since re-registered as a Democrat. He's already challenging extreme right-wing Republican freshman Sandy Adams for the right to represent FL-24, folks in Orange, Seminole, Volusia and Brevard counties who dumped one-term conservative Democrat Suzanne Kosmas in November. Kosmas was one of 39 Democrats to join with the Republicans voting against the historic Affordable Health Care for America Act on November 7, 2009. She and Sandy Adams saw eye to eye on that one-- tax-payer subsidized health care for them and their families-- but no health care reform for the people of Central Florida...Last November Democrats didn't have much of a choice. Kosmas was against health care reform and Adams was even more against it!

Here's Ruiz, the progressive alternative:

We must decide, once and for all, what sort of society defines America. We have already decided that law enforcement (i.e. the police department) is a guaranteed service for all, regardless of social or economic status. We have also decided that the fire department is a guaranteed service. Our society, rightfully so, honors both of these public features. They are freely available to all, regardless of the size of one's wallet.

Why should healthcare be any different?

I don't know about you, but I haven't heard anyone making that sort of argument on the stump. They talk about "cost curves" and issue ten point plans and explain about how the most important part of anything is free markets and "consumer choice." They are making their arguments almost entirely on conservative terms and in the process they fail to give people a way to understand why government makes sense. Voters are adrift, knowing that their lives are insecure and that they pay taxes and that government plays a role but they don't have a way of thinking about it anymore outside of rightwing cant and some vague moral notions that aren't well articulated.

We need politicians who can make the progressive case for political action and empower the people to make reasoned decisions and Nicholas Ruiz is one of them He is a dynamic, creative thinker who isn't bound by the artificial parameters of the stale political debate. He's pressing against them, offering up ideas that should be part of the dialog if only our leadership were willing to build a rationale for real progressivism.

Like this, for instance:

That's not something you hear every day, but it should be. This is how we widen the terms of the debate and begin to get progressive ideas back into American politics.

It is my great pleasure to welcome Nicholas Ruiz III to our first Blue America chat of 2011.